We recently connected with Nicole Pringle and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Nicole thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

I started Gullah Business of Charleston initially because I had another business selling lingerie and makeup. I thought, wouldn’t it be great for Black-owned businesses to have a platform where they could showcase their brand, do interviews to highlight their products, and share their journey into entrepreneurship?

I was looking for ways to promote my business, and with the way social media works today, people want a personal connection. They want to see your face, hear your voice, and relate to your story.

A month or so in, I realized I needed help to pull this off—but not just anyone. I needed someone as dedicated as I was to this vision. So, I called my cousin, Tiffany Savage. With her education, skills, and commitment, she was the perfect person to join me. She was appointed Vice President of Gullah Business of Charleston.

We started doing interviews via Instagram Live, and people were excited to be featured. Months later, a past guest reached out and told us they hadn’t made a sale in months, but after coming on our show, they were able to pay their bills. That’s when we truly knew that what we were doing was making a difference.

Helping people is something my cousin and I were raised to do. We were solving problems and creating opportunities. Our excitement grew. We began reaching out to more entrepreneurs, influencers, and even actors. We have had the opportunity to speak with so many incredible people, even behind the scenes.

We are definitely excited about the future! Our plans include traveling to different cities and connecting with business owners nationwide. This is just the beginning!

Nicole, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Nicole Pringle, and along with my cousin Tiffany Savage, we started Gullah Business of Charleston—a platform for Black-owned businesses, creatives, and influential people in our communities. It was created to be a safe space where people can share their journey, discuss their latest projects, offer insights, and more.

We conduct interviews via Zoom and upload them to our YouTube channel, giving our guests visibility and allowing our followers—and others—to learn about the businesses and individuals we feature.

We’ve never seen anything quite like this before—a platform where you can truly see the person behind the brand, hear their stories, and witness their products firsthand. Many of our guests have been incredibly transparent and inspiring, and we are proud of the meaningful connections we’ve built.

We are here for any Black-owned business that would like to be featured on our platform!

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

In the beginning, we used to do Instagram Live interviews. It worked for a while, but we ran into a problem—we would post about a scheduled guest, only for them not to show up.

After the second no-show, we decided to change how we do things. Now, everything is prerecorded, so when we post to let our followers know about a guest, the interview has already been completed.

Looking back, it seems like we should have done this from the start. When you’re just starting out, you learn as you go and make adjustments along the way.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

The most effective strategy for growing our client base has been directly engaging with our target audience.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.gullahbusinessofcharleston.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gullahbusinessofcharleston?igsh=MW8zdXRzbHRycXlhdA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1HHWfMywrG/?mibextid=wwXIfr
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@gullahbusinessofcharleston?si=gPfyeZh4ej1tTMj7

Image Credits

Photos by https://www.instagram.com/tami_photographyy?igsh=MWQ1dTNwcWJ3OGNlcQ==